Root causes of abortion

 

root causes of abortion

Why do women have abortions? In the U.S., the #1 reason cited is financial concerns. (Interestingly, financial concerns are less of an issue in many smaller countries with a fraction of our GDP.)

Thought experiment: If financial concerns are a root cause of abortion, would it make sense to assume that states with a lower cost of living would have lower abortion rates?

And if that proves to be the case, wouldn’t that suggest that the pro-life movement should be concerned about government policies that unnecessarily drive up the cost of living?

Pulse checked it out.

Here are the states with the lowest cost of living

root causes of abortion

Here are the states with the highest cost of living

root causes of abortion

Notice a difference? The ten states with the lowest cost of living have an average abortion rate of 5.22 compared to 14.65 for the ten states with the highest cost of living. The link is clear. It supports surveys that reveal financial concerns are root causes of abortion.

By way of contrast, the World Population Review says that what costs you $134 in a high abortion state like California would only cost you $90 in Arkansas or Iowa, two low abortion states.

Costly public policies affect the unborn

This is why Pulse Life Advocates is concerned about public policy that goes beyond abortion. Poorly conceived policies can have significant impact on states’ sanctity of life environment.

High housing costs are key drivers of high costs of living. Business and Media (BAM) used data from realtor.com to discover that housing prices are 60% lower in Red (pro-life states) compared to Blue (pro-abortion) states. The average Blue State home sells for $322 per square foot compared to just $192 per square foot in Red States. 

To drive home the point, California’s median home price is 3.3 times as much as Iowa’s (Forbes); just as their abortion rate is also 3.3 times as much as Iowa’s.

Why does California housing cost so much?

Because of public policy decisions, which are very much in the news due to the tragic fires burning in Los Angeles.

California’s largest cities limit the housing supply with restrictive zoning and building laws, reducing local housing stock.

This compels prospective home buyers to build homes beyond city limits. But these homes are often built in previously uninhabited, dry areas especially at risk for wildfires. 

The lack of affordable housing is a major driver of the homeless problem plaguing California, according to a comprehensive study by UC San Francisco.

According to multiple sources, homelessness concerns prompted Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, to cut the LA Fire Department’s budget by $17,553,814 and divert the savings to programs to mitigate homelessness.

At the state level, California leads the way in promoting progressive climate and environmental initiatives to address a perceived climate crisis. Their stated goal calls for carbon-free electricity by 2045. These policies drive up energy costs, especially noticeable at the gas pump.

In California, according to AAA, a gallon of regular grade gasoline goes for $4.38 compared to $2.88 in Iowa, one-and-a-half times as much. Why? Because of “environmental restrictions, higher taxes and a shrinking number of regional refiners,” according to CNN. In particular, they mandate a higher (and more expensive) grade of gasoline at the pumps than all other states.

In terms of per-capita taxation, Californians pay one-and-a-half times as much in taxes than Iowans ($9175 to $5934 per year).

How do you reduce abortion? Address root causes. One way is reduce the cost of living. That means state legislatures and their governors need to be judicious in the public policies they enact. They should focus on affordability and livability, with a mind to protecting their most precious asset: the unborn. Nothing should trump their well-being.

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